The Study of geochemistry contamination of heavy metals in travertine deposits and soil in Gorveh- Takab Region, NW Iran

Subject Areas :

ریحانه Roshanak ¹ , فرید Moor ² , بهنام Keshavarzi ³

1 - دانشجوی دکترای زمین شناسی اقتصادی دانشگاه شهید چمران اهواز
2 - استاد دانشکده علوم زمین دانشگاه شیراز
3 - استاد دانشکده علوم زمین دانشگاه شیراز

Received: 2016-08-26 Accepted : 2016-08-26 Published : 2014-12-22

Keywords: Contamination, Heavy metals, soil, Travertine, Gorveh- Takab Road,

Abstract :

Biogeochemical cycle begins with rock, so geology and geochemistry of rock and soil erosion play the mostimportant role in the distribution and concentration of potentially toxic elements in each ecosystem. In this study,rock and soil samples from Gorveh, Bijar and Takab cities were analyzed using ICP-MS instrumental method.Geochemical analyses indicate high amounts of heavy metals such as As, Ni, Cd, Se and Co in soil andtravertine samples, of which arsenic is prominent (>10000 ppm). XRD analysis revealed how heavy metals arepresent in the travertines of the area and by integrating mineralogical and geochemical results, the main reasonfor high concentration of As in these deposits was shown to be the presence of arsenic bearing minerals. Theenvironmental indices including enrichment factor, contamination factor, pollution load index, potentialecological risk index were calculated and indicated that the majority of the samples are categorized as highlycontaminated. Average arsenic concentration in rock and soil samples is 423 and 1089 (mg/kg) respectively. Themain reason for such high heavy metals contents -especially arsenic- in the area is believed to be the existence ofmany hot springs representing waning stages of volcanic activity.